The Supreme Court, on Friday, August 4, has extended the time for completion of trial in the Kerala actor sexual assault case till March 31, 2024. A bench of justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi were hearing an application filed by the trial judge Honey M Varghese in the case seeking extension of time in the case. The bench, while granting extension of time, has directed the trial court to expedite the proceedings.
The Supreme Court has been monitoring the trial, and had earlier fixed July 31, 2023 as the deadline for completion of the trial. Prior to that January 31, 2022 was fixed as the deadline. The trial period has been extended multiple times by the apex court for various reasons.
The case pertains to the abduction and sexual assault of a woman actor in Kerala by a gang of men led by a goon named Pulsar Suni. The assault was also recorded by the accused. Actor Dileep is alleged to be the mastermind behind the assault and is the eighth accused in the case. After film director Balachandra Kumar came forward with fresh allegations against Dileep and his family in December 2021, the trial court allowed further probe in the case, postponing the trial.